Monday, December 27, 2010

Christmas Eve

The 'Gurls' tracking Santa flying over the Great Wall of China on Norad . . .

Dressed for a fun evening out at our fave Chinese Restraunt.

They can only contain themselves for so long-- it is Christmas Eve!

After dinner the kids sprinkled the yard with their many bags of majic Reighndeer Food.


Inside we enjoyed some yummy desserts and left an assortment out for Santa.

Ah, the majic of Santa late into the night to early in the morning.


Hey, who is that hiding behind Bozo?

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Two Days to Christmas . . .

Oh my! Only TWO days until Christmas!?

Less than that really!

We've been busy filling our days with Christmas Cheer.

We hope you have been too!

Over the weeks we have-- decorated wooden gingerbread men.







Counted down the days to Christmas, one chocolate at time (for the most part)
with yummy Christmas calendars!


Played around in general-- the girls are pretty good at taking pictures with my camera.


We've gone out strolling in the Christmas moonlight looking at fun Holiday scenes.


Gone for rides on Christmas carousels.

 Baked a LOT of cookies-- this is only a small sample of them-- I haven't finished uploading my pictures!

Better get on it-- I'll likely have a couple hundred after Christmas Day!


May dancing sugar plums fill your heart with joy this Christmas Season!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Santa Land Diaries

We've taken the girls to a couple of "meet Santa" activities the past few weeks. Josie has yet to really warm up to the big guy, while Clara Rose will approach with caution to have a conversation.

Our first encounter was at a Fire Department Breakfast with Santa.


Josie was more interested in running around with the fire dog-- what an action shot!

Josie did agree to sit on Mommy's lap next to Santa.

It was a yummy breakfast buffet with eggs, sausage, bacon, home fries, and three kinds of pankcakes: regular, blueberry and CHOCOLATE CHIP!


Of course the girls made sure they got close enough to Santa to get some yummy candy canes!

Our next Santa Event was last weekend at the YMCA's Santa's Workshop-- or as Josie calls it, the C-Y.
Maybe it was all the hype about Santa, maybe it is that now Josie is a big Gurl-- She's 4-years old (just ask her and that exactly what she will say), maybe it is that she use to the C-Y and likes it there. Maybe it was the table of doughnuts on the other side of Santa's sleigh. Maybe it was a combo of all they above.

All I know is we waited in a short line and when it was our turn to see Santa-- Josie ran up and jumped in his lap! I had to scramble to get my camera!

Poor Santa couldn't get a word in edgewise! Josie wanted to know:

Where are your reighndeer? Why don't you ever bring them with you when I see you?
How many presents have you made? Where are they?
How far is the North Cole?
Why do you wear red instead of green?


Clara Rose wasn't as sure about jumping up with Santa as Josie.

But, she wasn't going to be completely outdone either!
The good part about sibling rivalry.

Inside, the C-Y had all kinds of fun things going on. Here is Clara Rose and her friend Claire playing in the family acitivity room-- which is always going on.
There was another room where the girls made magic reigndeer dust and were able to pick out a free book to take home.

There was a table to make reigndeer hats-- Josie didn't want to wear one but she did want Mommy to wear one!  Josie took this picture-- she actually does a good job.  It is because she is a big gurl-- she's 4-- in case you didn't know.

Clara rose wearing a hat with her friend Carly (Claire's big sister)

There was room where everyone could write letters to Santa. Josie is watching how Claire does it.
Claire is a bigger gurl than Josie.

Josie showing Clara Rose how to make a letter to Santa.

Gingerbread Houses

The Girls and I had a fun morning decorating Gingerbread Houses.

As one would expect, I think they ate as much as they decorated!



I'm not sure which is sweeter.

Oh, OK of course Josie and Clara Rose!